Twenty four are the hostage remaining alive and still being held by Hamas in Gaza, rushed to clarify the Israelfollowing the statement by US President Donald Trump that their number is 21. A statement, which is reasonable, has caused great concern to the families of the abductors.
Gall Hirs, Israel’s Coordinator on hostage -related issues, said in a post in X that Hamas holds 59 hostages, of whom 24 are alive and the 35 deadnumbers that remain unchanged.
“All the families of the abductors are always informed of the information we have about their loved ones,” he said.
Speaking at an event at the White House yesterday Tuesday (6.5.25), Trump said 24 hostages were alive a week ago but the number now is 21.
“I say 21 because today is 21. Three died,” Trump said, without citing any source for this information or giving other details.
Trump’s comment resulted in an organization that represents hostage families to ask the Israeli government to share with them any new information with them.
A spokesman for the organization said the families of the hostages “are again calling on the prime minister to stop the war until the return of the last abducted. It is the most urgent and important national venture. “
A total of 251 people were abducted as hostages during Hamas’ attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 people, mainly civilians, were killed, according to the Israeli authority report.
Israel has responded with an air and land attack on Gaza, which has claimed the lives of over 52,000 Palestinians, including thousands of children, according to Hamas -controlled sanctuaries. Due to the Israeli attack, most of the residents have been displaced and most of the enclave has been leveled.
The fate of hostages is an extremely sensitive issue for most Israelis and causes increasing turmoil and division in Israeli society as the war continues.
Homer families and their supporters have stated from the outset that the liberation of all those abducted on October 7 should be the absolute priority.
Most of the hostages who returned alive to Israel have so far been released under Hamas agreements during two temporary truce in late 2023 and early 2025.
The most recent ceasefire collapsed in March and the organization of families claims that Israel should stop hostilities and negotiate the liberation of the rest of the hostages.
The government says its two goals in war are to destroy Hamas and release the hostages. This week, it announced an expansion of the Gaza attack, causing a riot and panic among hostage families, who argue that this move will put their loved ones at greater risk.